


do you want me like i want you?

by theori



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: 5 Times, F/F, Kissing, Pining, Romance, catradora, they've really loved each other forever huh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:55:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24223135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theori/pseuds/theori
Summary: Five times Catra almost kissed Adora and one time she did.*Season 5 spoilers!*
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 519





	do you want me like i want you?

**Author's Note:**

> Season 5 was amazing, wasn't it? I've always wanted to write a Catradora fic and I felt so inspired and had so many gay feelings over that finale, so I wrote a fic to cope with it. I hope you enjoy! :)
> 
> Also, this isn't the first fic I've ever written, but it is the first one I've ever posted. Let me know if you want more or have any comments/suggestions!
> 
> You can find me @ chaostheori.tumblr.com or here on AO3!
> 
> Edited 11/30 for grammar and clarity.

**1.**

  
Catra was thirteen when she realized it.

The way her heart was racing as she laid beside Adora, the way every time Adora’s leg brushed hers, it sent a jolt of electricity through her, making her fur stand on end.

“Catra?” Adora said, breaking the silence. “Did you hear me?” She had been laying on her back, but she rolled around so they were face to face, just mere inches apart on their separate pillows.

“S-sorry,” Catra stuttered, caught off-guard. She knew she was blushing. “What’d you say?”

Adora laughed. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

Catra turned away, rolling onto her back to hide the pinkness of her cheeks. It was dark, anyway. Their sleepovers always involved them staying up way past the Horde’s curfew.

“Nothing, just…” Catra began, unsure of herself. This wasn’t like her—to everyone else, Catra was sure of herself and standoffish. But it had always been different with Adora.

“Um, what do you think about what Lonnie said today? About her having a crush on the new guy?” Catra asked. “Do you think you’ve ever had a crush?”

She could feel her heart pounding in her chest; _what was going on?_ She and Adora had known each other for years, had an endless number of sleepovers before this one, so why did everything suddenly feel like it was brand new territory?

“I guess I don’t know what a crush is supposed to feel like,” Adora answered. “Lonnie said he makes her laugh and she likes being around him, but like,” she paused. “ _You_ make me laugh and I like being around _you_.”

Catra’s eyes opened wide. She turned back to Adora, and they were so, so close. “What—”

“I mean, how do you know? Like, what’s the difference between a best friend and a crush?” Adora said hastily, interrupting Catra. “Have you ever had one?”

Catra looked at Adora, barely visible in the darkness. She was beautiful—her blonde hair splayed across the pillow, free of her signature ponytail. Her blue eyes were staring into Catra’s, curious. Catra hoped Adora couldn’t see her eyes move to look down at Adora’s lips, hoped Adora couldn’t hear the small breath she let out as she realized she really, _really_ wanted to kiss them.

 _Yes_ , Catra answered in her head. It was so obvious, now, looking back at it. And they were so close, all Catra would have to do is just move her head a little bit and their noses would be touching, and their lips would part slightly, and—

“Catra?” Adora said, her voice softer now, breaking Catra’s train of thought. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I’m just curious.”

Adora could read her so well, just as she had always been able to. “Uh, I don’t know, either,” Catra replied.

She hoped Adora couldn’t tell it was a lie.

**2.**

  
They’d just finished a training session with Shadow Weaver and they needed to let off some steam. So, naturally, that meant teasing each other and goofing around.

“You’re such a dork,” Catra said at the silly face Adora was making as they walked down the hall. “Why Shadow Weaver sees some badass fighter in you, I have no idea.”

Adora feigned offense. “Whoa, whoa, there, I’m a great fighter.” She punched Catra’s upper arm just hard enough to cause her to stumble a bit as she walked. “I’m pretty sure I took you down in less than a minute today, remember?”

“I was going easy on you,” Catra shot back, a smirk on her face.

Adora laughed and tackled her right there, in the middle of the hallway. Catra shrieked in surprise, but as soon as she hit the floor, she pushed them over so she was on top of Adora. It wasn’t long before Adora had flipped them again, and they both were laughing as they tried to one-up the other. She loved their fights.

Finally, Catra pounced on Adora and caught her off-guard, sending them back to the floor. But this time, when they landed, Adora didn’t fight her way back on top. She was breathing heavily, and Catra realized they were in a very compromising position. Adora was flat on her back, Catra completely on top of her, her knees touching the floor by Adora’s waist and her hands by her best friend’s head. Catra’s heart was beating fast, and she could hear Adora’s racing, too. They stared at each other, and Adora’s eyes flicked down for a split second before returning to hers. _Did Adora just look at her lips?_

Catra took the girl beneath her in, all strength and power and beauty, and thought about how easy it would be to just lower herself onto her elbows and kiss Adora’s stupid face.

Adora was looking at her with something different in her eyes, something Catra hadn’t seen before. It gave Catra the courage to lower her head, and—

“Girls!” a voice shouted down the hall, and the two of them scrambled to get back on their feet. “Get to your posts, immediately!”

They separated, and Catra spent the rest of the day thinking about how else that could’ve gone, what might’ve happened had the Horde soldier not seen them. Had they not been in the hallway, but somewhere more private.

How Adora’s lips would’ve felt as they kissed her back.

But she was just kidding herself—they were best friends, nothing more. Adora didn’t like her like that.

Right?

**3.**

  
“What do you think kissing is like?” Adora said one day, out of the blue.

“Hate to break it to you, but I’ve never kissed anybody,” Catra answered.

Adora laughed and met her gaze. “Well, yeah, neither have I. But what do you think all the fuss is about?”

 _I have some idea_ , Catra thought, looking at her dork of a best friend. Being close to her gave Catra such intense butterflies and a lightheaded feeling, like she was floating on air. She imagined kissing Adora would be similar, just intensified. It’d probably be the best feeling in the world.

Catra just looked at her, smirking. “Couldn’t tell ya.”

“What if I’m bad at it?” Adora said, the words tumbling out of her mouth like it was something she had thought about before, like it was something that worried her on a regular basis. Catra doubted Adora was bad at anything, and in Catra’s daydreams, she definitely was _not_ bad at kissing.

“Like, what if the opportunity arises, and it ends up being really bad?” They were sitting side by side on Adora’s bottom bunk, and Adora’s gaze moved down to the floor.

Catra laughed and put her hand on Adora’s shoulder, causing Adora to look back up at her. “I think you’re putting too much thought into this,” she said. “It probably just comes naturally.”

Then she realized something about the wording Adora used. “Wait, are you _expecting_ an opportunity to arise? Do you like someone?”

Adora moved her hand to the back of her neck and her blue eyes left Catra’s to stare at the corner of the room, like she was nervous. “I mean, it’s not like I’m expecting, but, uh—” she hesitated. “I just, you know, want it to be good. For the person.”

Catra felt a flare of jealousy go through her. The thought of Adora kissing someone that wasn’t her felt wrong. Catra was _right here_. Couldn’t Adora see that? Couldn’t she see how Catra looked at her?

Catra could show her what kissing was like right here, on the bed they spent most nights together on. Catra could just go for it, just kiss the worry off Adora’s face, show her what she’s missing by crushing on someone else.

“Just forget I said anything,” Adora said, breaking the silence.

And they went back to talking about their days, joking with each other. The moment passed.

But Catra could still feel the jealousy in the pit of her stomach.

**4.**

  
Catra struggled to keep her signature smirk on her face when her eyes found Adora at Princess Prom. She looked stunning—Catra had never seen her in a dress before, and when they locked eyes across the ballroom, Catra’s heart skipped a beat.

“You good, wildcat?” Scorpia asked as they walked down the stairs.

“Yes, why wouldn’t I be?” Catra snapped back before regaining her composure. “Our plan’s going to work perfectly, just you wait.”

…

It was so fun teasing Adora the whole evening. She followed Catra’s every move as she slinked around the room, smirking at her. She even left her a little note and laughed when Adora opened it, frustrated at the simple message.

She was feeling ballsy when Frosta announced the first dance. Might as well push Adora’s buttons even more, as much as she could.

She held up her hand to Adora, and Adora reluctantly raised her hand too. They started dancing with the crowd, and Catra tried not to think about the fact many of the other pairs dancing were couples. Not best-friends-turned-sworn-enemies.

“I don’t know about you, but I am having a blast,” Catra said.

Adora just stared into her eyes, her gaze colder than it used to be. “Whatever it is you’re planning, it won’t work.”

“You sure?” Catra asked. They separated for a moment, but as they came back together, Catra leaned against Adora’s chest, Adora’s hand in hers.

“Maybe my plan won’t work,” Catra said, a smile on her face. “But then again…” She turned them quickly and dipped Adora, and they were the closest they’d been since Adora had abandoned her in the Fright Zone. “Maybe it already has,” she said, smiling down at the girl who broke all her promises.

Adora’s expression was filled with such anger, such hatred, and it made Catra smirk even more.

“Say… where’s your friend Bow?”

They tumbled and fought across the ballroom before making it outside, on top of a cliff. Catra reached out to hit her, but miscalculated. Before she could realize what was happening, Adora’s hand wrapped around her waist and she pulled her back, her other hand grabbing the front of Catra’s shirt. Once again, it was like they froze, staring at each other. This was _not_ a part of Catra’s plan.

As they breathed heavily, the anger in Adora’s eyes changed to confusion, changed to innocence. The way they used to look at each other. Catra’s leg was still dangling off the edge, but if she just raised her arm, she could cup Adora’s cheek and pull her in—

No. They were enemies. Adora had left her.

Adora didn’t _want_ her.

She wouldn’t let herself get distracted by those stupid blue eyes any longer.

**5.**

  
She knew it wasn’t real, that it was just the portal’s alternate reality, but God, it felt so good to have Adora by her side again.

They were in their spot, the spot they would always go to get away from everything and everyone else. On the highest point they could climb to, overlooking the Fright Zone.

Adora knew something was wrong. “I don’t know what’s happening to me. It’s like I’m losing my mind,” she said. Her voice was so full of worry. Why couldn’t she just be there, with Catra?

It was all Catra had ever wanted.

“You just need to relax,” Catra replied. “Soon the two of us are going to be ruling Etheria together, just like we always planned.”

Maybe if she said it, she could make it real.

“Is that what you want?” Adora asked, her voice tinged with sadness. “To rule the world?”

Catra was taken aback. “I mean, yeah, obviously… isn’t that what you want, too?”

 _Please, Adora. Please just want this. Please just want me,_ Catra thought.

_Choose me._

Adora just broke their eye contact and looked out at the Zone. “I don’t know.”

“Don’t flake out on me now,” Catra couldn’t help herself from saying. “This is what we always wanted!” She paused, lowered her voice. Shouting at the girl she loved wasn’t going to help anything. “Everything will be perfect as long as we stay together.”

Catra wanted to close the distance between them, to walk over and sit beside Adora on the edge of the platform. To touch Adora’s cheek, turn her face to Catra’s. To kiss Adora, to show her everything she’s missing, everything Catra’s ever wanted.

It was them against the world.

Why did it have to change?

**6.**

  
Adora was an idiot if she thought Catra was going to let her go into the Heart of Etheria alone.

Especially if she was going to stupidly walk in and sacrifice herself. Catra couldn’t lose her again. She didn’t think she’d survive it.

“I’m sorry, Catra,” Adora said, turning back to look at her. Tears welled up in her eyes, falling down her face. Catra wanted to go to her and wipe them off her cheeks, make her change her mind. Adora didn’t have to do this. But there was no stopping her.

“I’m so sorry,” Adora repeated. “But there’s no more time. It has to end here. I can still save everybody.”

Adora walked over to her, reaching out her arms to cup Catra’s cheeks. She brought their heads in so their foreheads were touching. “It’s okay,” she said softly. “I’m ready.”

Catra grasped Adora’s hands as she began pulling them away. “No, I’m not leaving,” Catra said firmly. “Whatever happens, I’m staying with you.”

Adora’s tears just kept falling down her face. Then she began to scream, falling to the ground.

Catra fell to her knees, picking up Adora, holding her. “No, no, no, no!” she yelled. This wasn’t happening. Adora wasn’t going to die. Not when they had just become friends again, not when Catra had gotten used to seeing her face again, gotten used to seeing that dumb smile of hers that made Catra smile, too, no matter what.

Adora’s eyes were closed, and Catra couldn’t hold it together anymore. “Adora. Adora, stay awake!”

She sighed with relief as Adora opened her eyes again, touching the hand Catra was using to cradle her cheek. “I’m sorry,” she said again.

“Adora!” Catra yelled, pulling her close, hugging her as tightly as she could.

She could tell she was losing her, that Adora was fading farther and farther away.

“Adora, please! You have to wake up!” Catra pleaded. “You can’t give up, you have never given up on anything in your life. Not even on me.” Tears were welling in her eyes. Why did Adora have to be the chosen one? Why couldn’t they just live happily ever after, like Catra had always dreamed?

“So don’t you dare start now!” Catra continued, pulling her even closer. “I’ve got you, I’m not letting go.” She couldn’t stop the next words from tumbling out of her mouth, the ones she’d been holding back for years. The ones she thought she’d never get a chance to say.

“Don’t you get it? I love you, I always have—so please, just this once, stay!”

She whispered it again into Adora’s chest, which she’d nuzzled her head against. “Stay.” She could feel Adora’s heartbeat getting slower and she felt herself break into pieces.

And then Adora raised her hand, and a shield appeared above them. She opened her eyes, and Catra thanked the universe over and over and over.

“You love me?” Adora asked, and Catra just smiled.

“You’re such an idiot.” But Adora was _her_ idiot. She always had been.

Adora just looked up at her, her eyebrows coming together, a smile on her face. She looked like she was about to start crying again, but this time out of joy. “I love you, too,” she said, and suddenly everything was perfect.

Catra just smiled at her, like she’d known this all her life. Then she leaned in and raised her hand to run it through Adora’s hair. And their lips met.

It was everything Catra had ever dreamed and more.


End file.
